This week's stories: Rape Not That Serious, According to Victorian Legal System...Equal Opportunity Isn't For Poor People...Refugees An Easier Target Than Terrorists...It's Official: Bosses Are Evil and Insane...Quote of the Week.
One rapist convicted in Victoria last year was given a sentence of six weeks. One in five rapists convicted in Victoria did not go to jail at all. (Herald Sun, Oct 29). The Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission is not allowed to fight "systematic discrimination" by industry groups and employers, particularly against low-income earners, according to its head. A new booklet called 'Paying Too Much' says that private companies such as banks, electricity and water companies, and phone companies, systematically exploit, ignore and overcharge low-income earners. Andrea Sharam, co-author of the booklet, says that companies often exclude low-income neighbourhoods or groups of customers from services (called 'red-lining'), or offer better deals to richer customers. (Melbourne Times, October 23). The Federal Government has been accused of directing military and intelligence resources at detecting asylum seekers rather than terrorists. Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett said that "the stupidity of that policy, and the focus on the so-called security and protection issues in something as pointless as detecting refugees rather than [terrorism] has been emphasised in a tragic way." The Government's position also had wasted hundred of millions of dollars, Senator Bartlett said. (Sunday Times, October 16). Psychologists probing the wave of corporate crime in America have noticed that psychopaths and chief executives tend to share many personality traits - in particular an ability to appear plausible and attract followers while at the same time hiding low self-esteem. Robert Hare, of the University of British Columbia, one of the leading experts on psychopathic behaviour, thinks boardrooms are full of people who have what he calls "charisma without conscience". "If I couldn't study psychopaths in prison, I would go down to the stock exchange," he says. Dr Babiak and Dr Hare say some of the traits most admired by corporations suit the profile of the average psychopath. "They tend to have a facade of charm that is very effective in ingratiating themselves with people in power and which hides their anti-social tendencies," says Dr Babiak. "It is very easy for psychopaths to play up to what the establishment wants. If that is getting in early and staying late, it's no problem. Most of them can't believe how easy it is." As America attempts to rid itself of the showbiz chief executives, boardroom recruiters are taking more trouble to delve into candidates' psychological make-up. Psychopaths tend to be arrogant, short-tempered, manipulative, deceitful, lacking in empathy and remorse, and with a need for self-aggrandisement while apparently being "rational". (The Age, October 29). quote of the week: St Augustine tells the story of a conversation betweenAlexander the Great and a pirate he captured. "How dare you molest the seas?" asks Alexander. "How dare you molest the whole world?" the pirate replies. "Because I do it with a little ship only, I am called a thief. You, doing it with a great navy, are called an emperor." John Pilger. anarchist news service write to James, PO Box 503, Newtown NSW 2042 or email [EMAIL PROTECTED] contact us to get ATNTF emailed directly to you. If you like All the News That Fits, forward it on. All the News That Fits appears in the Anarchist Age Weekly Review (www.vicnet.net.au/~anarchist - PO Box 20 Parkville VIC 3052) and The Ham ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). Some other Australian anarchist websites: www.angry.at/racists - Anarchist/anti-racist music site with free mp3s, Real Audio, Real Video, band interviews etc. Now with internet radio. www.dolearmy.org - information for unemployed people. www.activate.8m.com - anarchist magazine aimed at teenagers. .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:leftlink@;vicnet.net.au Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:majordomo@;vicnet.net.au?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:majordomo@;vicnet.net.au?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink